A Functional Nutrition Approach to Methylation and MTHFR
WHAT IS METHYLATION?
Methylation is a chemical reaction that takes place in the body more than a billion times per second!
It is involved in energy production, brain function, gene expression, and detoxification.
In particular it, is responsible for converting B vitamins into their active forms.
WHAT IS A MTHFR MUTATION?
MTHFR (short for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is an enzyme involved in methylation reactions.
A mutated MTHFR gene results in impaired enzyme activity.
Impaired methylation can manifest in conditions such as histamine intolerance, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, infertility, and miscarriage.
ARE MTHFR MUTATIONS COMMON?
MTHFR mutations are commonly tested for (and commonly found, as 30% of the US population has at least one mutated allele).
However, simply testing positive for an MTHFR mutation does not destine you to poor methylation.
SHOULD I TEST FOR MTHFR?
Diet, lifestyle, microbiome health, and environmental factors can have more of an impact on methylation capacity than your genetic code.
Therefore, if you suspect you have imbalanced methylation, it is often more useful to test for functional markers and to address accordingly.
FUNCTIONAL SIGNS OF IMPAIRED METHYLATION
low serum folate
low serum B12
low reduced glutathione
high oxidized glutathione
high serum homocysteine
high urine/serum MMA
high urine FIGLU
low RBC folate
EATING FOR METHYLATION BALANCE
INCREASE CHOLINE & CREATINE
eggs, red meat, organ meat, fish, shellfish
INCORPORATE METHYLATION ADAPTOGENS
turmeric, cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, rosemary, berries, onions, garlic, celery, parsley, spinach, mushrooms, beets (sources of quercetin)
REDUCE TOXIN EXPOSURE
skincare, food, water, plastics, cookware, moldy buildings, etc
NOURISH YOUR MICROBIOME
increase fiber, prebiotics, and fermented foods
WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?
People often take methylated B vitamins to compensate for having an MTHFR mutation.
However, supplementing methyl donors can lead to over-methylation, which is a pendulum swing of imbalance.
The best approach is to improve nutrient intake & diet quality, as the body is more intelligent about restoring this balance than we are.
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References
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